Twilight Sky
by rikufuu
Summary: Kingdom Hearts II. Two years later. This is part of a writing challenge. Focused on Riku & Sora's relationship, mostly from Riku's POV.
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

Hopes & Dreams _to lay down hopes and dreams, with you..._

* * *

_Do you remember before? We stood facing each other on opposite sides of that door. _

_Now we stand side-by-side. Let's go home together this time._

The sky had never looked so bright before. Sparkling stars reflected on a watery mirror... A soothing sight, a glorious scene. A view he had not seen in ages, and yet he had never forgotten. His eyes, blinded for so long, remembered each gleaming spots, and the shadows inbetween; light consumed, dark enfolded. Heart devoured, soul blindfolded...

The young silver-haired boy winced suddenly, laying beneath the same firmament that had brought him back home. He had spent so much time in the dark, his mind couldn't help but remind him of his past mistakes. But one had to err in order to learn, and he had.

He had always wanted to be the best. The strongest, the fastest. Always competing, challenging, provoking. But he knew now, there was only one reason why he had managed to remain so strong. Why he always won, no matter what; he had never accomplished anything alone.

Much like the stars in the sky, Sora was the light to his dark, completing him. There was his true strength, the missing piece that made him whole. One couldn't be without the other; together they had conquered their fears and saved their worlds – on their own they had only longed and looked for the other's presence.

Light, and dark.

And inbetween, the twilight sky that bounded them together.


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

Innocent Wish _an innocent wish to be with you..._

* * *

The rain. Light and cold, pouring from the skies in a long, quiet whisper. Riku had watched it fall all day, his aquamarine gaze fixed on the blue horizon. Such a dull sight for the eyes, but his heart gave delicious beats in his chest nonetheless. 

He was happy. He was home, after so many battles and struggles, an eternity spent in the darkness. The grey clouds above him were a taunt, reminding him of his darker side, but nothing in this world could hinder his renewed feelings; he had finally found his light, and he would not lose sight of it.

Never again.

« Riku! » he suddenly heard behind him, a joyful sound that instantly made his heart quiver in delight.

Sora. Riku nonchalantly ran a hand through his hair, dripping wet, while waiting for his friend to join him, watching him from the corner of his eyes. He had been sitting under the drooping branches of the paopu tree for hours, but only Sora had seen time pass. For one whose head was frequently in the clouds, it was quite a remarkable occurrence, and it didn't go unnoticed.

« What are you doing here again? It's raining, can't you see? »

Riku slowly turned his head to look at him, his eyes partially hidden behind his wet, smooth silver bangs. Raising an eyebrow, he simply grinned and shrugged slightly as Sora sat next to him, oblivious as always. But how could he know, if Riku kept everything to himself?

« Geez, Riku. You come here every time it rains. What's so cool about it? »

« The sight, » Riku answered softly, looking up at the sky, blinking as the rain teased his skin. « Look around. Everything's so blue. The sky... I feel like I can reach it. »

« Then why do you look so sad? »

Riku froze suddenly, taken aback. Sad? No, he wasn't sad, but merely... nostalgic. And yet both feelings could be quite similar.

The sky. Its color when it rained, intense blue, envelopping his soul. It was the only thing he had ever wanted, and here he felt as though it was completely his. Wasn't it ironic? It had always been right there in front of him, but always out of reach. And he was the only one to blame. He had realized too late that his light had always been there, and even though he wouldn't risk tainting it, he could at least find solace under its blue embrace.

« I'm not sad, » he denied, giving the slightest frown in protestation. « I'm just... »

« Oh, I know what you're thinking about, » Sora interrupted him, leaning against the trunk, lazily holding his arms behind his head. « It reminds you of the past, doesn't it? You've got to get over yourself, Riku. It's been two years now. »

Riku couldn't help but glare at him for a second, slightly annoyed. He still wasn't used to Sora trying to lecture him, as it usually was the other way around. But Sora had grown wiser over the years, and Riku often found himself tongue-tied, more than he wanted to admit.

« And what do _you_ know, saphead? » he retorted, his voice playful. « You can't fool me, Sora. I know that you're always looking for me, as if I were to vanish once again. I told you I wasn't going anywhere. Not without you. »

« Hey, stop calling me that! » Sora frowned, slightly flustered and deliberately ignoring Riku's accusation.

Riku's grin only grew wider, and slowly he looked away, satisfied. _1 – 1_, he thought, determined not to let his friend win against him.

He knew he was right. Whenever they were apart, anyone he'd run into would tell him that Sora was looking for him. He hated to show it, but deep down, his spikey-haired friend was still insecure. They had come back home two years ago, and still he feared losing him again, even though Riku had never left since their return.

What he didn't know, however, was that the older boy had to fight against the same fears...

They sat in silence for a moment, their bodies close as the rain kept falling on them. They had never needed to talk to feel at ease together, let alone understand each other. They had always been cheek to jowl with the other, and Riku knew with certainty that it would never change.

Slowly he reached out, grabbing the closest paopu fruit and bringing it to his mouth. Sora remained silent and motionless as Riku took the first bite, his deep, blue eyes fixed on the shore. And suddenly, he remembered.

They were young. Barely fifteen, and always teasing each other.

« _Sora. You wanted one, didn't you? »_

_« A paopu fruit... »_

_« If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what. C'mon, I know you want to try it. »_

_« What are you talking...?_ »

Riku was now eighteen, but he hadn't forgotten. Not his words, nor the hidden feelings he had tried to suppress. His fingers tightenened around the fruit as he gulped down the exotic juice, his heartbeat resounding fast and loud in his ears. His eyes went from the paopu to Sora's soaked hair, and back again.

There was no time for second thoughts.

« Catch! » he said, throwing the fruit at his friend with an enigmatic smile on his lips.

And he did, opening his hands to welcome the half-eaten paopu. Riku found himself staring in anticipation as Sora started in disbelief, but soon he let out a small laugh and looked at his silver-haired friend, his eyes wide and his playful smile contagious.

« Man, I can't believe you're tossing me your leftovers, » he sneered, but Riku's face remained serious and he gasped suddenly, frowning and carefully eyeing the paopu. « Riku? » he asked, his voice sounding more acute than he wanted it to be.

« Eat it, » Riku simply said, shrugging as his heart twisted painfully in his chest.

« Riku... It's a _paopu fruit_, » he almost shrieked, his gaze going from the gift in his hands to Riku's impassive eyes.

« So very observant, » Riku smirked, grateful for his ability to conceal his deepest feelings. « C'mon, Sora. What are you afraid of? »

« Afraid? I-I'm not afraid, » he stammered, his eyes reflecting a growing annoyance, his cheeks betraying his malaise. « But... you know... we're not... we're not... »

« We're not _lovers_? » Riku finished for him, faking the mocking expression on his face. « C'mon, saphead. There's nothing to fear. Boys don't fall in love with boys. »

Riku had to keep from closing his eyes when Sora looked up at him; he couldn't afford to give himself away. As always, he would give his most confident look, showing off his protective façade, fooling everyone.

Fooling himself.

« Right! » Sora finally exclaimed, smiling happily as he tasted the fruit.

And Riku watched silently, cursing himself. Sora was so close, a little movement and he could touch him. A small gesture, and he could... No. _Of course not_, Riku thought, bitter. _You're such a fool. You'd rather believe in fairy tales, even though you're so close to the light_?

« Not bad, » Sora concluded merrily as he licked the juice off his finger. « But I'm cold. Let's go home, alright? I'll race you! What do you say, huh? »

Home. It had such a deeper meaning now that they lived in the same house. Riku nodded slowly, suddenly feeling the cold, too. But it didn't affect his body, no; it was slowly making its way to his soul, freezing his thoughts and stinging his heart.

« Alright. Let's go home together. »

And he ran next to his friend, his hair dancing in the wind, his watery eyes lost in the rain...

* * *

_boys don't fall in love with boys_ is a quote that i'm very fond of it's from a very dear friend of mine, riyu semislashable on FF & LJ, who passed away in december '06 - i'm using it in memory of him 


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Connected _coiled inescapably.._.

* * *

« Ahh... Hn! »

Slowly Riku opened his eyes, his face hidden behind a silver veil of silky hair. He couldn't help the sleepy smile on his lips as he blinked lazily, overwhelmed by an exquisite sensation; was he dreaming, was he awake? It didn't matter, and he breathed in and exhaled happily...

« Ahhh... »

... and again he heard it, the same sigh, long and hoarse, viciously finding its way to his ears. Riku tried and forced his mind to focus, but he found himself unable to escape the mist that had took over his thoughts. There was only the voice, a quiet, restrained whisper, and the tingling wave rolling inbetween his thighs...

« Nngh! »

That was all that it took for him to finally open his eyes fully, suppressing a moan as he felt his own hand sliding up and down his length. He didn't know when he had started, or how, but he definitely knew why; the sigh he kept hearing aroused him wonderfully, and only then he realized where it came from.

_Sora_.

In the adjacent room, his friend was experiencing what he himself had never tasted; passion. Oh, it was well alive inside him, burning like an eternal flame, but he had no one to share it with. It grew and grew as time passed by and he knew it was bound to blow up sooner or later, but what was there to do? Kairi had made the first move, she had won Sora's heart as soon as she had set food on their island, and Riku had learned a long time ago that it was useless to fight against fate.

« Ugh! »

The thought of them together made his hand move faster on his shaft, a furious protestation, a war between his heart and his mind. A battle he knew his head had lost long ago; his heart had chosen, and he knew nothing would change it... for better or worse. Oh, he had tried to deny the truth, burying his fierce desires in the depth of his inner darkness, but the light had found its way through, reaching it and enflaming it little by little until it surfaced again, a formidable explosion. He had tried to think of Kairi as something more than a friend, but as soon as his heart started beating a little faster, Sora's face inevitably shadowed hers, shunning her in the back of his mind, piercing his soul with luminescent rays; he knew he was doomed to love him 'till the end of his days.

« Ahhh... nngh! »

A new moan, teasing his senses, stealing away what was left of his sanity. Clutching the blankets with his free hand, he stifled a low groan as the other worked around his shaft, a magical dance, fast and slow and fast again until he felt the twinkling wave grow inside him, unfurling restlessly, only wanting to reach the shore...

Sora, Sora, Sora...

« Hn... Ri-Riku! »

Riku opened his eyes wide as he reached his climax, all of his senses lost in the cacophony around him; the sound of his name, a velvety plea, echoed in his ears as his heart kept pounding in his chest. Everlasting pleasure, or so it seemed, ran through his body as he tried to catch his breath again... only his mind, blinded by Sora's last rustle, would not cooperate.

WHAM!!!

A door was slammed suddenly; someone was leaving. Riku sat up in his bed, ridding himself of his dirty pants and fighting against the dizziness. Had he imagined that call? Was he so desperate to be loved the way he loved that his own mind answered his prayers?

« Riku? »

The silver-haired boy froze instantly. It was the same voice, but not quite the same tone. Embarassement washed over his features, adding a delicate pink touch to his pale skin; he was blushing like a damn school boy.

« Hey, wake up man! »

« Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. »

Quickly he grabbed a new pair of pants, rushing to the door to welcome his friend. He still wasn't sure whether he was dreaming or not; his thoughts were mingled, paralyzing his senses and numbing his emotions. A cloud, close and yet so far away, seemed to float around him, thick and dense and suffocating, keeping him away from reality...

... and yet he knew with certainty as he opened the door that he wasn't dreaming.

« I messed up. »

Three words and no context, but Riku had guessed everything. His confused gaze followed Sora as he walked in, choosing the nearest chair to sink in; his eyes, watery blue, shined awkwardly, and Riku had to literally shake his head in order to shake some sense into him.

« Well, that's nothing new, » he managed to say, but clearly his teasing abilities had yet to awaken.

« Riku! Sora protested, resting his forehead in the palm of his hand. « I'm serious. I think she's mad at me. »

« She...? »

« Yeah. Kairi. »

And suddenly everything became as clear as a cloudless sky; the moans, Sora's voice, the exquisite pleasure... Together yet seperately they had found their release, both crying out the name of the other. Riku lowered his head at the thought, hiding his crimson cheeks from his blue, intense gaze.

It couldn't be real... could it?

« Tell her it was an accident, » he shrugged, earning an horrified look from his friend. »

« Wha... how did... hey, did you...? »

« No, » Riku interrupted, letting himself fall on the bed and carefully avoiding Sora's gaze. « But whatever you did wasn't on purpose, right? »

« Y-yeah... I mean, no, of course not! »

« Right. So tell her it was an accident. »

Sora looked at him, eyebrows furrowed as if to protest, but his mouth opened and closed again and nothing was said.

Only the pink tint on his cheeks had spoken.

« I think she loves me, » he let out, a shy, quiet revelation. »

« No kidding, » Riku retorted, a low, bitter remark. « I thought you did, too. »

« Yeah, I do, but not like I... like I... You know! »

« Does she know that? »

« I don't know. I thought we were friends. I mean... we did... she... I don't know. »

Riku raises his brows, questionning him with his eyes. He could tell Sora was experiencing an inner battle and he couldn't help but feel sorry for him, for he knew all too well what it felt like.

« How do you tell a girl that you're not in love with her? » he asked, words spurted out at the speed of light.

Riku's mouth sagged opened as he acknowledged Sora's question, his soul wanting to disappear and leap on him all at once. Surely he wasn't serious; Riku had always been lacking in the 'feelings department' and they both knew it. What was he getting at? Seeking advice from him only boosted his self-confidence, which wasn't necessarily a good thing in that kind of situation.

« Are you for real? » he snorted, unable to restrain his frustration. « What d'you think she's gonna believe if you keep fucking her? »

He gasped briefly and frowned as his own words slowly sank in; he hadn't meant to be harsh, nor had he meant to insinuate that he knew what they had been doing. However, as always, dark emotions had never been a problem to unleash...

« Riku... »

« Look, » he said, getting back on his feet and shotting him a quick glance as he approached the window. « I don't know why you ask me, Sora. I can't even tell yo-- I can't even... »

His fists clenched as he closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh, baffled and mad at himself. Why? Why was he unable to talk to him? It was driving him insane to know that his dark side would always be more easily shared than his light one. He had changed over the past few years, but that part of him always remained the same somehow, and he wondered whether he was really meant to live on this side of the world.

« Hey, I know I messed up, that's the first thing I said when I came in, » Sora retorted, standing now and looking at him, his gaze hesitant as he closed the distance between them slowly. « I'm just not used to dealing with things on my own... We've always overcome everything together. »

Riku turned his head slightly, just enough so he could see him without having to face his eyes. Sora...

« You remember before? You told me you wished to live your life the way I do. You keep shooting yourself down, but there's something you forgot; I need my friends to be as strong as I am. They're my power, and I'm nothing without them. I'm nothing... without you. »

Throat closing, eyes shutting... Riku found himself wanting to laugh as he realized how ironic some things could be. Sora had come to him for advice, and yet he was the one reassuring him. It was all that he needed to know that some things did change, but some others never would.

« You love Kairi, don't you? »

« What? » Riku frowned, forcing his mind back to the subject at hand.

« Kairi. You love her. You wouldn't have gotten so pissed at me earlier if you didn't, right? »

« Sora... »

« No, it's alright! » Sora smiled, his eyes sparkling as if truly happy, but Riku wondered for a moment whether he saw tears in them. « I don't even know why or how it even began... I mean, her and me. It just... did. But it won't happen again, alright? I mean, I don't need to... »

« Sora! » Riku cut him off, his eyes furrowed as he grabbed his arm to silence him. « You're getting the wrong idea. I don't love her, not in the way you think I do. I got mad 'cause I... I just got mad. »

Raising his eyebrows in a provocative manner that earned him a dubious look, Riku tightened his grip around Sora's arm as though it would convince him somehow, but the spikey-haired boy was no fool. However, just as he opened his mouth to retort, his gaze suddenly changed and his face lowered as his eyes fell on Riku's hand on his skin. An odd, sticky sensation had caught his attention, and Riku couldn't help but blush as he realized what it was.

Quickly he let go of him, wiping his hand on his pants in a vain attempt to be subtle; he knew it was too late, and so did Sora. The pale, viscous fluid was already stuck on his flesh, but he made no move to wipe it off, which sent Riku away in the dark, unwieldy abyss of humiliation.

« That's not what you think, » he murmured, losing his composure but desperately clinging to it, taking a few steps back as he looked away.

But Sora reached out and grabbed his hand, keeping him from walking away, pulling him closer as a finger on his chin forced him to look back at him.

Mixed feelings, strength reversed.

« Riku, » he whispered as the older boy lost himself in his eyes, fingers intertwined. « I heard you, too. »

Riku's mouth opened, only letting out a soft, velvety sigh. His free hand brushed against Sora's arm, a shy, feathery touch, his fingers running up his skin as it slightly trembled in shivers... but the younger boy looked down suddenly, giving Riku's hand a small squeeze before he retreated.

« I've got to talk to her, » he simply said, avoiding his friend's gaze as he left the room quickly, leaving behind a very perplexed Riku.

« Sora...»

His eyes, slightly furrowed and fixed on the door, finally closed as Riku sat down, raking his hands back through his hair. This was unreal, he told himself, his mind confused and his heart racing like it never had before. He wasn't sure of the meaning of what had just happened, but something had definitely changed. He promised himself he'd find the strength to talk to him...

... and if he couldn't find it in himself, he knew that, together, they would make it work.


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE - PART ONE **

Figment _is this really all you can be?_

* * *

« Catch! » 

The rays of the setting sun behind him, Riku jumped a step backward as he tossed a second wooden sword at Sora, grinning as the younger boy faced him with both of his hands armed. He had blindfolded himself to spice up the upcoming battle, but as he stood there waiting he was suddenly reminded of his darker past, arrogant fool against what had been Sora's darker half.

Familiar scene of a time long gone...

Riku smiled as he avoided Sora's weapons swiftly, a nostalgic rictus lost in the middle of his delicate features. This dock they knew so well and on which they had fought so many times now held more sinister memories, the symbol of their first seperation, the emblem of the choice Riku would regret his entire life.

Everything left behind, so far and yet so close...

« Take that! »

Sora was definitely more skillful now, and much more stronger. His spiky brown hair and the intense blue of his bright, wide eyes still made him look younger than he really was, but his body had become unquestionably more brawny; his muscles were more well-defined, and he had even managed to grow a little taller... Unfortunately, all these changes had also affected Riku and he still remained the tallest, which inevitably ignited the younger boy's frustration every time he was reminded of it.

Riku dodged the next thrust with more difficulty, jumping around among the palm trees as he kept his weapon straight in front of him to protect himself; while he was always up for a challenge, his mind had been elsewhere lately, and he wasn't quite sure how to bring it back. He couldn't count on his blinded eyes, and letting his heart guide him as it once had wouldn't lead him anywhere...

... nowhere he was allowed to go for the time being, anyway.

« Tired yet? » Sora teased, his weapons finally hitting Riku.

The silver-haired boy cringed slightly as he felt the pressure on his bare stomach, cursing himself for not paying attention. Of course, his pride was always more easily hurt than his body; it didn't take much for his aggressiveness to be rekindled.

Oh, Sora definitely knew how to push the right buttons…

« Wh... h-hey! »

He pushed forward, swinging his wooden sword restlessly, groaning every time it hit the barrier Sora had made himself. What was he aiming? He didn't know. He was targetting whatever moved in front of him which, of course, happened to be his friend. He could still feel them inside him, sometimes, _somehow_, the dark forces that once had been part of him. Oh, they still were in ways, sleeping in the depth of his soul, merged with his better half, tamed and docile and dormant...

... and yet, when he acted so impulsively, he couldn't help but wonder if they could still take over him.

« You asked for it! »

Sora's voice was provoking, but Riku could still detect the playful tone behind his words, which reminded him that this was just a game. A game... Riku gasped in surprise as he suddenly found himself stuck against the trunk of a tree; Sora had pushed and pinned him, and he could feel the rough, rugged bark of the trunk scratching the flesh of his back, burning. He was beaten and he knew it, only Sora had forgotten something. While the body of his friend against his kept him from moving, his arms were still free and he didn't hesitate one second to move them.

« Hey! You can't do that! »

« Sure I can, » Riku announced as he stole both of his swords, keeping them high above his head after throwing away his own weapon. « I unarmed you. You lost. »

He could almost see him frown in a mix of frustration and confusion, which brought the most satisfied grin on his lips. Sora moved against him, jumping slightly in order to try and get his weapons back, but it was no use; Riku really was taller, and the swords were out of reach.

« Give them back! »

« No way! » he laughed, amused at his friend's efforts to take them away from his hands. « C'mon, Sora. I won. Just admit your loss already. »

« You cheated! I was gonna win! »

And Riku laughed again as he tossed the weapons away, waiting for his friend to run after them and get his revenge.

But nothing happened. Nothing that he had expected, anyway.

Slowly the melodious sound of his laughter died in his throat as he stood between the trunk and his friend, waiting for him to move away... only he wouldn't. Sora remained there, immobile all of a sudden, his arms gradually lowering... until his hands stopped at Riku's shoulders, a soft, light caress. They both still were panting slightly, and Riku could feel Sora's warm, quick breath on his neck... and somehow he knew that something else was making him breathe so fast.

Bringing one hand to his blindfold, he managed to take it off slowly, his eyes instantly falling on his friend who wouldn't look at him; his eyelids were half shut, and he seemed to be fixing something behind Riku's shoulder, only there was only the trunk to see.

« Sora, » he whispered softly, a gentle invitation.

He let his fingers brush against the younger boy's pinkish cheek, a cautious gesture that made Sora's eyes close completely. That is when he felt it, the warm spot pressed against his crotch, an insistent yet hesitant bulge against his own. He couldn't help but sigh slightly as Sora moved against him, and he couldn't stop his hips from returning the favor as a small moan escaped Sora's lips.

« Sora..., » Riku said again, closing his own eyes as he felt Sora repeat the same movement.

It wasn't a mistake; he had definitely done it on purpose, and Riku realized as Sora's grip on his shoulders tightened a little that he had no intentions to stop.

And right then he felt as though he was literally losing his mind.

In one fierce, swift move he crushed his body against his, emprisonning him in his arms as Sora desperately clung to him, his face buried under the silver veil of his hair. Riku's hands on his buttocks grabbed and pressed and pushed, a firm guidance, the sign of a urgent hunger that only Sora could satisfy.

« Hn... Riku... »

A soft, innocent plea, a sweet approval that instantly made his head spin. They were one; warmth against warmth, skin against skin, shafts pressed and rubbing against one another through the clothes, a languorous yet quite speedy dance.

Was it really happening? Riku had always tried to avoid confounding reality and fantasy, but containing himself had proved to be such a hard task that he just didn't know anymore. Sora was there, stuck against him in one naughty game, nuzzling his neck as he moaned in his ear... Had he talked to Kairi? And to tell her what?

_I've got to talk to her_, or so he had said, but what for? Their last meeting had been more than awkward, and Riku had done nothing but worry ever since. And finally, unexpectedly, Sora was moving against him in a way he never thought he'd get to see, answering his prayers like an angel from above.

Or was he?

The sudden doubt in his thoughts made him thrust his hips a little harder against his; was it all that he could offer him? Of course, he wouldn't be dumb enough to refuse such an exquisite gift, but Riku had other plans in mind; he loved Sora with every single bit of him, and he'd never engage in such a relationship if all the passion he felt couldn't be returned.

Had Sora misinterpreted Riku's past behavior? Or was it just a matter of physical attraction to him? Riku knew he was the only one to blame if such a misunderstanding occured, as he had never really been clear on his true intentions. But Sora's flesh wasn't all that he wanted; he dreamed of sharing his whole being, and he expected the same in return. Heart, body... and soul.

« Sora, » he breathed against his ear, dizzy but trying to gain control over his body again.

His shaft was painfully hard against Sora's, but finally he managed to slow down the pace, keeping his friend close to him in a passionate embrace. He had to tell him. He had to say something before they went any further, to clear things out, to...

« Riku? »

Sora's questionning tone made him open his eyes again, and he felt him pull away slightly; a useless effort, as Riku's arms around him wouldn't let him go anywhere.

« I'm sorry, » the younger boy whispered suddenly, and Riku pulled away at last, his eyes instantly attracted by the red spots on his cheeks.

Sora was blushing like he never had before, but something else caught his attention, a strange flicker in the blue of his eyes. Was it distress?

Was it shame?

« Hey, Sora... Why are-- »

« I'm sorry, » he only managed to repeat, and with no warnings he freed himself from his arms, running away from him, from his heart, as though he had burnt himself.

« ... why are you sorry..., » Riku finished silently, standing alone on the dock... and lonely.

Sora was gone. It had happened so fast... but what had happened, exactly? The silver-haired boy let himself slide down against the trunk, ignoring the pain on his back; the pain in his heart outweighted it, and he could only gaze longingly at the beach, lost, before he closed his eyes again.

What had he done?

* * *

**PART TWO**

Guide _take it step by step, one foot then the other..._

* * *

Twilight. Beyond the pale horizon, the colorful evening of yet another summer day faded into the night. Silence. Riku had his eyes wide open under the full moon, but he wasn't looking at anything in particular; his thoughts were roving like lost vagabonds and he couldn't stop them, no matter what he tried. Oh, there was something he hadn't tried, but he hadn't gathered the courage to do it. Not yet. He'd been laying outside for a few hours under the twilight sky, searching for answers, looking for hints, but the stars remained silent. 

Perhaps because the answer was simply hiding within him.

It wasn't too late, it couldn't be. He had done something wrong, obviously, and if he wanted to make up for it, he'd have to find out what had made Sora upset, so upset that he had ran away from him.

He got back on his feet lazily, taking his sweet time to enter the house, making sure Kairi was asleep as he passed by her room. The three of them had been living together for a few months now, making it harder for Riku to control his urges. He couldn't help but wonder how Kairi would react if she knew... but then again, maybe she'd always known…

« Sora? » he squeaked, frowning as he heard his own voice, cursing himself for sounding so dumb.

_Good job, asshat_, he told himself, his teeth gritted.

« Sora, » he said again, knocking at the door of his room. « Can I come in? »

« Yeah... »

Riku opened the door slowly, taking a deep breath as he did so, closing it behind him as soon as he walked in. Sora was laying down on his bed, eyes opened gazing at the sky through the glassy ceiling, the same firmament he had been looking at just a few minutes before, but it looked different somehow...

Perhaps because he could only see it in Sora's eyes...

« What's up? » Sora asked, his voice monotone, a tone he rarely got to hear.

And it didn't please him to hear it, for it meant that there definitely was something wrong. He lowered his head for a moment, pondering what he should do or what he should say, and ultimately he decided to follow his heart; surely it would lead him to the right place.

He ended up sitting down next to him on the bed, his back turned on him; Sora didn't make any move, nor did he repeat the question he had asked previously, and so Riku was forced to open his mouth at last.

« I wanted to see you, » he shrugged, still not facing him, his fingers clutching the blankets nervously.

« What for? »

What for? Riku frowned at the words, a glint of confusion flashing in his eyes; was he going to act as though nothing had happened?

« You didn't have to come, » Sora added quietly, a sad whisper, as he turned over to lay on his side.

Riku turned his head then, wanting to see him, all of him, to catch the pain in his eyes and steal it away from him, but it was Sora's turn to turn his back on him and the silver-haired boy had no other choice but to surrender.

_No_!

A voice in his head, his stronger will, the predatory side of him; no, he wouldn't give up. He _couldn't_ give up!

Slowly he turned around to lay beside him, determined. He couldn't see his face, but he could tell his eyes were still opened, sparkling with worry. He felt his heart beat a little faster as he leaned over quietly, taking in the delicious scent as his nose met his hair, putting his arm around his waist as he rested his head on the same pillow. He remained immobile for a moment, feeling Sora's body tense up at his touch, a frozen stick.

« You don't have to do this..., » he let out, a low, trembling murmur.

And it made Riku's heart twist in pain, the expression on his face shattering suddenly as his watery eyes closed for a moment. Had he not guessed already? That was all that Riku had ever wanted, and there he was speaking as though he was forcing himself to be with him.

« I want to, » Riku countered, a soft whisper in his ear, and he tightened his embrace slowly, pulling him closer until both their bodies became one again.

Flesh fusioned, legs intertwined... Riku shivered as he nuzzled Sora's delicate nape, feeling some sort of response at last; his body trembled against his, and their warmth merged together, as though Sora was finally sharing himself.

« You... I messed up earlier, » he sighed, a shy revelation. « Riku... I don't want to make you do stuff you don't want to do. »

« Aren't you repeating yourself now? » Riku whispered ever so softly, cuddling him timidly.

« But-- »

« Just shut up already, I told you I wanted to. »

Holding someone certainly felt different from holding a weapon, but Riku realized that what he was doing now was something he should have done long ago, even before learning how to fight. No wonder he'd always been lacking in that department; even as a child he had rarely get to display his emotions or even receive any, but Sora had changed all of that. He had gone out of his ways many times for him, had learned what he thought he'd never be able to do, and he would keep doing it, because it felt great, and because everything seemed possible, as long as he had him by his side.

« It didn't... bother you? »

« No. »

« But you... you _stopped_ out of nowhere, » Sora shrieked awkwardly, obviously embarassed. « I thought it was... I don't know, I thought you were disgusted or something. »

And suddenly it all became clear in Riku's mind. Sora had fled, but only because he had thought that Riku was pushing him away. Was this for real? How in hell had they managed to misunderstand each other so badly?

« Sora, » he murmured, feeling his heart leap into his chest, overwhelmed with what seemed to be... a renewed happiness. « Saphead... I only stopped 'cause I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to make sure that you... that you... »

« ... that I loved you? » Sora suggested at last, his voice low and shy.

His eyes opened wide then, his heart literally pounding; a new expression took shape on his face, making his aquamarine irises sparkle with bright hints of hope. He wasn't really smiling, but the brows over his eyes made him look quite content... and he really was.

« C'mere, » he said, a loving order.

« Riku, I'm right here... »

« No... turn around. I wanna see you. »

Sora obeyed, moving awkardly as Riku refused to let go of him, and finally they faced each other, blue sky and turquoise seashore merged together at last. Riku sighed happily as Sora wrapped his own arms around him, and he brought his fingers to his face slowly, gazing at him as he traced small circles on his cheek, following the firm line of his jaw with the tip of a finger.

« I do, » Sora whispered, blinking lazily.

And Riku was in heaven. He closed his eyes then, breathing a little faster, his own warm breath mingled with Sora's; there was a low, sweet note of desire between them, and neither of them could ignore it anymore.

« Sora... »

A soft whisper, a helpless sigh; he was his, Sora was his, and he was Sora's. They had always belonged to each other, but tonight was the night their love would be sealed. Low sighings, trembling lips... and they touched suddenly, warmth against warmth, a light caress. Riku opened his eyes, his gaze locked into his; the first contact, an exquisite promise. And he leaned forward, ready to renew it again.

« Riku... »

His name murmured against his lips as he kissed him again, a wonderful sound. And he took possession of his mouth at last, completely, possessively, rocked by the sweet waves of their moans. Soon he lost himself in the kiss, and together they stayed close, holding each other as slumber took over.

« And I do, too... »

A last kiss, another sigh... and the greatest sleep they had never had.

It was a formidable discovery to find out that boys _did_ fall in love with boys, after all.


End file.
